Bernice Nielsen

Bernice Nielsen, age 87, of Aurora, passed away Monday, May 14, 2012, at her home.

Funeral Services will be held 2:00 P.M., Thursday, May 17th at the United Methodist Church in Aurora. Dr. F. Cole Fowler will officiate. Interment will be in the Aurora Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 - 8 P.M. Wednesday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: BERNICE NIELSEN

Bernice Ida Nielsen, the daughter of Emil and Elsie (Reimers) Andersen, was born at home near Reserve, Montana on December 19, 1924 and passed away in Aurora, Nebraska on May 14, 2012, at the age of 87.

She grew up near Medicine Lake, Montana and graduated from Medicine Lake High School in 1942. Bernice attended Western Union School in Billings. She was a hired girl on a farm, and that is where she met her future husband, Robert.

On December 15, 1943, she was united in marriage to Robert E. Nielsen at Medicine Lake, Montana. Early on in their married life they lived in several different cities and states; Sparta, WI, Marquette, NE, Billings, MT, Lawton, OK and Lincoln, NE. They made their home in Aurora in 1949 and have lived here ever since. Bernice held several jobs over the years they were married. She worked as a grocery store clerk, at the lunch counter at Woolworth’s, movie theatre ticket salesperson and bookkeeper at Northern Propane.

Bernice was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren and the Aurora United Methodist Church, the V.F.W. Auxiliary, Cornhusker Chapter of POW’s and American POW’s. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Chicago Cubs baseball fan. Bernice was always involved in her children and grandchildren’s activities; never missing a ball game, school program or club activity.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Albert Andersen and sister, Ruby Nielsen.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Robert Nielsen of Aurora; two sons, Gary (Marcia) Nielsen of Omaha and Greg (Marcia) Nielsen of Aurora; daughter, Connie (Mark) Shaneyfelt of Aurora; 8 grandchildren; 5 great-grandsons and 2 great-great granddaughters. She is also survived by a brother, Sheldon (Janet) Andersen of Medicine Lake, MT; sister, Lillian Evans of Billings, MT; sisters-in-law, Jeanne Andersen of Plentywood, MT, Ann Rasmussen of Lincoln, LaVerne Nielsen of Omaha, Hope Nielsen of Pasco, WA and Martha Watson of Kennewick, WA.